Sacramento Zoo, the heart of the Land Park neighborhood, is the place to visit for animal lovers! A small zoo at just 14 acres, it still boasts a fantastic assortment of animals of the adorable, weird and scary varieties.

During our visit to the zoo, the girls were lucky enough to watch an animal checkup through the window of the vet’s office (top right photo). They also had a lot of fun climbing the crocodile and pretending to be kangaroos!

Spying for the ever-so-cute, with it’s oversized ears, Fennic fox and the odd-looking, termite-eating aardvark (I’d never even heard of an aardvark before it arrived at the zoo).

Watching the sleepy lion cubs, discovering how large a snow leopard’s feet are and feeling the difference between the different wild cat coats.

Did you know you can get right up close to that long, purple, slimy-looking giraffe tongue?! Come at feeding time and you can feed the giraffes (or rather you can feed Chifu, the greedy male Massai giraffe who won’t ever let his mates have a chance at the feeding deck).

The zoo now has a young river otter named Kai. This funny otter likes to lick the condensation off the glass walls of her enclosure. It sure is funny to watch that open mouth smooshed up against the glass as her tongue gives it a thorough cleaning! (Go scroll through my Instagram if you want to see a funny snapshot of Kai licking the glass!)

Don’t forget to take a ride on the train, climb Mt. Kilamanjaro or have a spin on one of the many exotic carousel animals (a favorite around here is the dung beetle, where you have the pleasure of sitting atop the insect’s giant pile of poo).

Before you finish your visit, make sure you stop off in the reptile house to see all the different lizards, snakes and frogs.

With the start of these hot summer temps, is anyone else craving ice-cream as much as I am? I’ve got the fix for that! Take a step back in time at this old-fashioned ice-cream parlour. The family-owned Sacramento business has been a part of the Land Park neighborhood since 1947 and still carries it’s charm from 70 years ago.

Along with more classic flavors such as chocolate, strawberry, rocky road, . . . Vic’s also carries fun flavors according to the season. This summer you can enjoy Boysenberry Sherbert, Pineapple Sherbert, Fresh Peach (Yum!) and Fresh Banana. When autumn arrives, try the Pumpkin or Cranberry Sherbert and this winter will bring Eggnog and Irish Coffee (my coffee-addicted soul is looking forward to this one)! Not in the mood for a cone? Dig into a Hot Fudge Sundae or a Banana Split instead!

On our little outing to Vic’s for these photos, the girls chose Cherry Amaretto and both declared it delicious (I sneaked a generous taste from their cones and definitely agree)!

In addition to some of the most delicious ice-cream I’ve ever had, Vic’s also has a tasty assortment of soups and sandwiches if lunch is required before your sugar fix.

Vic’s Ice Cream is located at 3199 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento, CA

Be sure to take advantage of the extended summer hours. The shop will be open till 10pm seven days a week!

Just a bit of a drive up Highway 50 to El Dorado County and you’ll find one of our neighbor’s finest gems. Anyone who has lived in Sacramento for even a short time has surely heard of Apple Hill and, if you’re a good Sacramentan (which I clearly am not), you’ll have payed it a visit by now. After having lived in Sacramento for over seven years, I finally made it up there and, gosh, do I regret not going sooner!

Fruit trees laden with crisp, sweet apples and picturesque farmland surrounding, what a beautiful area Apple Hill is! I understand there are several farms on the Apple Hill route with lots of fun children’s activities, but when it comes to nature, my preference is for simple, earthy, back-to-the-soil fun, which is what led me to this small farm. As someone to whom organic is very important, I was thrilled to come across 24 Carrot Farm. New to Apple Hill, this farm has only been open for a few months, but what an impression they have made! All organic, dry-farmed and using permaculture principles, they also supply the local coop and several restaurants in the area.

When you first hop out of your car, you are greeted with an adorable produce stand filled with the delicious scent of fresh melons and all sorts of colorful fruits and veggies!

Don’t forget to check out the beehive (Can you find the queen? She’ll be marked with a white dot.) and sample the raw honey!

One of the many bees hard at work!

Rows of beautiful apple trees, ready for picking, line the hillside!

Ladybug hunting in the pumpkin patch? Yes, please!

And customer service? Above and beyond and very much like chatting with an old friend! Ben, one of the two farmers, was on his own the day I arrived with two little girls in tow to have some apple picking and pumpkin choosing fun! While he had much to do around the farm and tending the stand and taking care of other customers, he still made sure he was available to answer all our questions (and boy did we pepper him with questions!) and hand out samples and show us around! He even charmed the girls with pretty flowers and posed for a silly photo with them!

Apple Hill, particularly 24 Carrot Farm, will certainly be seeing much more of me over the coming years, and perhaps I’ll check out some of the other farms in the future. Which is your favorite farm on Apple Hill?

24 Carrot Farm can be found on both Facebook and Instagram. They are located at 2731 Jacquier Road in Placerville and can be contacted at 510-828-6538 for hours and information.

Since 1959, this Land Park gem has been delighting children of all ages. With friendly animals, lovely gardens, and over two dozen play areas inspired by nursery rhymes and fairytales, the park offers several hours of good fun and play. From exploring the curving corridors of King Arthur’s Castle to hiding out with Robin Hood and his gang in Sherwood Forest, little (and big) imaginations are sure to run wild!

When you first arrive, simply follow the yellow brick road to the admissions gate where you are greeted by Humpty Dumpty sitting upon his wall (not yet having had his great fall). At just $5.50 a person ($4.50 on weekdays), the admission fee to Fairytale Town is very reasonable. And children under two get in free! If you want to double up your park fun on your visit, be sure to ask about the Fairytale Town and Zoo (which is just across the street) combo admission. Memberships are available for those wanting to make Fairytale Town a regular outing.

My personal favorite attraction at Fairytale Town is Mr. McGregor’s Garden. When you help care for the garden, you get to snack on it’s goodies! Don’t fear Mr. McGregor catching you; he’s not home. 😉 Don’t forget to visit Peter and his mates at the rabbit hutch. If you’re lucky, you’ll find one of them out for its walk and get to pet it.

Even visiting the toilets and throwing away your rubbish can be a trip for the imagination at Fairytale Town.

If you’re feeling a bit peckish after running around the park, visit the Dish and Spoon Cafe for lunch or a treat.

Have you visited Fairytale Town yet? What’s your (or your kid’s) favorite part of the park? Leave a comment below!